Bicycle Spokes
by afrozenheart412
Summary: What you don't do in the past can hurt, but a new addition helps remind and heal a family. A companion piece to Daisy Chain, Happy Father's Day! 2/7


Happy Father's Day, everyone! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own them but as for the stuff they do in my head, I can't help but wish to own the show.

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><p><em>Shuffling up the small cement steps to his Staten Island row house, Joe heaves a sigh after a long day at work. Some movement in the corner catches his eye, Mrs. Giordano is sweeping her walkway. <em>

_"Hi Mrs. Giordano," he calls out. Half_-_heartedly waving at the old bat who can't keep her nose out of the neighborhood's business, only to grunt when she sniffs and turns her back on him continuing to sweep the freshly cut grass from the cement. Rolling his eyes, Joe enters the hot house slamming the screen door behind him. "Honey, I'm home." _

_"Whoa," he cries as something runs into him. Pulling the scrawny body of his ten-year-old son away, Joe quickly grabs Danny's chin before he could duck underneath the huge bill of the baseball cap the kid was wearing. "Who gave you that shiner? Tell me, did Gino Ricci finally get a hold of you after stealing a kiss from his sister?" _

_"No," Danny said. Twisting his chin of our his father's grasp, he pushing himself away and straightened the glasses on his face. "I got into another fight at school, over that stupid shirt Ma bought me! I've detention for the next two days."_

_"What shirt? The 'It's The Big Apple' shirt you bugged your Ma for the last two weeks for? The one she went into go into the city and nearly had to wrestle it away from a tourist?" Joe sighs in exasperation, wiping a hand down his face trying to keep a lid on his temper. "Jesus, Danny! You need to learn some responsibility, money doesn't grow on trees! Now where's Louie? I have something for him." _

_"He's outside, down at the corner with Sonny and the others. I'll go get him," Danny glumly replies. Stomping toward the door, pushing it open and letting it bang close behind him. Walking to where Louie was hanging out with his friends laughing it up sneaking a smoke near the alley behind the local bodega. "Hey Louie, wait up!"_

_Opening the closet door to put his jacket away, it hits the bike that is causally leaning against the wall, knocking it over. Still grumbling underneath his breath, Joe straightens it out when something in the back spokes catches his attention. Reaching for the card, he realizes it was his Hank Aaron rookie card. The only one he found in the box of cards he scrimped and saved for. The one he put in the glass cabinet next to his old mitt and Louie's confirmation photos. Upset, he drops his jacket on the floor and races to the screen door, pushing it open. _

_"Dammit Danny," he yells down the street at his son. "Come back here!"_

Waking up with a snort, Joe straightens his bifocals and looks around. He notices that the baseball game on the television was long over with. The Yankee's won, there was no doubt there he smirks to himself. On the couch, Danny was lying on his back fast asleep with his daughter on his chest. His son with a baby of his own. Little Lucy. He'd never thought the day would come that he would be a grandfather. Hell, that he would live long enough to see this day proves that someone thought he was worth a second chance after all the close calls he's had running 'errands' for his bosses.

Walking out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a dish towel, Teresa Messer reaches out to run her hand through hair so like her own, "Danny. Danny? Time to get up, son."

Grumbling at being woken up so early by his Ma, Danny starts to raise his arms to stretch and groan until he remembers Lucy on his chest. With one hand firmly on her back, he looks around for the time.

"Six o'clock? Christ! I promised to meet Lindsay at home after her shift, we usually go for a walk before dinner. Walk," he scoffs the bitterness flowing out of him as places Lucy on the couch so he can swing himself into the wheelchair. Placing his gray sweatpants clad legs into the foot rests he misses his parents exchanging a look, before Joe kisses his wife on her cheek. "I'll take him home, babe."

As they drive into the city, Joe clears his throat trying his best to bring up what he wanted to talk to Danny about while the game was on. His son was staring morosely out the window, not seeming to see anything other than the turmoil inside of his own head. Lucy gurgles and grunts in the backseat, drawing Danny's attention back and brings a small smile to his face. Watching his son's face light up at the sight of his daughter gives Joe courage. "Um, Danny?"

"Yeah, dad?" Danny's turns toward his father, his face shuttered.

"Uh, Sal over at-You remember Sal, right? Went to school with his son Rick back in high school?"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember dad," Danny says impatiently. "What's that gotta do with me?"

"He and I were talking over at Nini's, and he told me that he won two tickets to the game this Sunday. Since Rick has to work, and his wife hates baseball. He offered them to me. Would you like to go? We could make a day of it, you and me going to a game like the good old days." He smiles at Danny hopefully, before easing the car into a handicap parking space in front of the apartment building, turning off the engine. "What do you say?"

Danny, unable to believe his ears, just stares at his father before shutting down again. The good old days? When was that, he asked himself. "Dad, thanks but no. It's Father's day, and Lindsay and I are going to spend it with Lucy in the park."

Swallowing back his disappointment, Joe pastes a fake smile on. "Sure son, I forgot. Wait here and I'll get the chair out of the trunk."

Opening the door and slamming it lightly not wanting to disturb his granddaughter, Joe moves toward the back of the car and proceeds to get the wheelchair out. Pushing it toward the open passenger door, he watches silently as Danny stubbornly struggles to get in the chair without asking for help. Startled by a hand on his shoulder he notices his daughter-in-law standing beside him. A country girl by birth, she wasn't what he would have picked for his son. When they heard about her from Danny, he had his doubts about how she would survive in their world, but in the end she proved him wrong.

"Lindsay honey, how are you doing?" Joe reaches out to bring her into a hug. Squeezing him back she looks at him with tired eyes, shadows of worry evident for all to see.

"I'm great, Joe! How's Teresa?" She smiles at him, her brown eyes glowing despite it all, at the thought of their family.

"She's fine. Wondering when you're going to break down and let her pamper when you kids visit, otherwise fine." Joe smiles the Messer grin, his whole face lighting up. "Did your parents get the cannolies that she baked?"

"Yes," Lindsay sighs delightedly. "Mom even called me up and told me if I could work my magic and get some more, she would be forever grateful." Joe laughs with her, the pride in his wife clear as the day is long.

Danny, having unbuckled the baby carrier from the backseat, now wheels himself to them with Lucy on his lap. "Let's go Montana, time for dinner! The pizza is calling my name!"

Lindsay startled at being interrupted, looks questioningly at Joe. He shrugs and kisses her goodbye. "Bye Danny."

"Bye Dad," Danny says without looking back, still rolling to the front of their apartment building.

After dinner...

"That was good," he sighs, massaging his stomach. "Now its time for a little Sports Center."

Stilling his hand from reaching for the remote on the coffee table, Lindsay tells him. "Danny, you promised. We need to keep you from getting stuck in a rut; let's go out and get some fresh air."

"We," he mutters a little angry, his blue eyes turbulent.

"Yeah, we. As in your daughter and I!" Lindsay snaps a little, fed up with the tantrum he's been in since he got home. Taking a deep calming breath she unsnaps Lucy from her baby bouncer, holding her in front of Danny. Lucy stares at her father with her big blue eyes, sucking on her fist.

"Using our daughter as a weapon against me, very nice Linds," Danny mutters trying to hang onto his bad attitude but not succeeding when he breaks out into a reluctant grin. "I'm sure your mom would be proud to see you using guilt tactics already."

"Thank you," Lindsay pipes back her sweet smile full of pride. Her long wavy hair bouncing lightly as she jumps to her feet, handing Lucy over to him. "I'll be right back, I need to change out of this sweatshirt and yoga pants."

As she disappears into the bedroom to change, Lucy starts to fuss and cry in Danny's arms. "What's the matter, Luce? Need your bah bah?"

Glancing quickly over the coffee table and the side tables which has become baby central with all of the paraphernalia that they bought or received from friends. He can't spot the pacifier they brought home from the hospital. Maybe it was in his pockets, Danny muses, running his hands into his pants pockets coming up empty. Okay not in there but where, he asks himself, when a light bulb goes off. Reaching into the side pocket of the wheelchair, he pulls the missing pacifier out and an envelope. Placing Lucy's bah-bah into her mouth, she quickly settles down to stare at him. Giving her little nose a gentle poke Danny smiles, ripping open the envelope to pull out a card when three things fall into his lap.

Looking at the stuff in his lap, Danny swallows hard and opens the card. On the front is a little boy holding a bat that was too big with his father standing behind him, steadying him.

_I knew you wouldn't accept the tickets, but maybe you and Lindsay could use them instead. You've got yourself a good family, son. I know I didn't show much affection or say I love you enough. These past few years have been hard on your mother and I. They've made me face up to a lot of regrets I've had in my life, and I don't want that to continue. I hope you enjoy your first Father's Day, there will be many more to come with your family._

_I love you, Danny_

With a burning sensation behind his eyes, Danny reaches for his cell phone from the side table, picking it up and dialing

Ring, ring.

"Hello," his father's voice greets him, the television blaring in the background.

"Hey Dad," Danny's voice hoarse with emotion. "Lindsay changed her mind about our plans at the park. She has to run some errands and Sunday is the only time she can to do it. Since it will take all day, and I'd be sitting around here bored out of my skull. Would you like to go to the game with me? That is, if you don't have any plans."

"I'd love that, son," Joe's voice tremble, clearing his throat. "I'll be there an hour early to pick you up, okay?"

"Sure!" Danny agrees, "I'll be here with the tickets and for the other thing...thanks Dad."

Hanging up, he looks at the piece of card stock in his hand and fingers it, feeling the roughness of the ridges. Lindsay, having heard the tail end of the conversation, walks out of the bedroom all dressed for going on a walk.

"Is everything alright?" She asks whispering in his ear, hugging him from behind.

"Perfect, everything is perfect," he says feeling her arms tightening around him. Cupping her cheek with his hand, he brings her face closer for a kiss. "Now get Lucy and let's get this over with, I need to see the Yankee highlights."

As Lindsay gathers Lucy from his arms and puts her into the stroller, she hears a flapping sound coming from Danny's wheelchair as he was pushing himself to the door. "Danny what's that noise?"

"Oh, an old baseball card my dad gave me," he tells her looking over his shoulder at her, holding the door open as she passed through it. "Hank Aaron's rookie card, he found it in a box of gum that he bought years ago. I was there with him, helping him sort out which cards he needed for his collection and the ones he didn't when he found it. Louie wasn't all that interested in baseball..."

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><p>Since we don't know what Danny's relationship with his father is, this is my interpretation. If it seems disjointed or too harsh, please blame me because I don't have this kind of relationship with my Pop.<p>

My father was strict and a bit stern but he was always lovable. From times as a little girl when he had to pry me out of the bathtub, he would wrap me up in a towel and tell me to hold my breath. Then he would pick me up and dunk my head in the draining water because he found that wet hair was easier to brush. Or when he let loose a bullfrog in the bedroom my sister and I shared, laughing his butt off as we screamed, squealed, and hopped around scaring that poor frog until finally my mom came in and yelled at him for working us up when we should have been asleep. :) You can see why I love him.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed what I did with this. And have a good holiday with your fathers!


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